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Deputy Attorney General John Donhoff wrote in the petition that the merger would "create a monopoly in the unregulated San Francisco Bay tour boat market" and "substantially lessen competitive bidding for the Alcatraz ferry service," currently operated by the Red & White.

It also would "tend to lessen or substantially eliminate regular commuter ferry service between San Francisco and other Bay Area cities," he wrote.

Technically, the attorney general is asking the PUC's administrative law judge Tim Kenney for permission to intervene in the buyout, first proposed more than a year ago. The hearing process has long concluded and Kenney was set to make a recommendation to the full PUC by October 15.

If Kenney admits the attorney general into the case, as is likely, the state is set to file its own economic analysis of the deal. Prepared by Douglas Greer of San Jose State University, the as-yet- unreleased analysis more fully sets out the attorney general's objections.

The Blue & Gold Fleet professed not to be worried about the attorney general's objections.

Ron Duckhorn, the company's president, said his staff met Wednesday with the attorney general's staff.

Duckhorn added that not enough emphasis had been placed on the advantages of the acquisition. He pointed out that as the sole operator of ferry service, Blue & Gold would be in a better position to "take far more advantage of the free waterway" to connect San Francisco with other cities along the bay.

Donhoff said he expected to meet soon with Blue & Gold representatives.

"Our opposition is based on the facts as we know them today," he said. "Our minds are open to any additional information that the vessel operators provide."

A final verdict on the proposed acquisition is not expected until mid-November.